Saturday, October 18, 2003

Johnson City, Tenn. (October 18, 2003) -- East Tennessee State's women's basketball team held its first practice of the 2003-04 season Saturday morning. ETSU starts the season with 14 players on its roster, including seven newcomers -- five of which are freshmen. Seniors Lauren Trantham (Asheville, N.C.), Kiya Verdell (Hartwell, Ga.), and Jessica Lonon (Sylvania, Ga.) highlight the core group of seven returners. Trantham and Verdell were both named to the Southern Conference preseason team by the leagues coaches. ETSU and Chattanooga, were the only two schools to have two players each named to the 10-team preseason squad which was named last weekend at the SoCon's annual basketball tipoff event in Charleston, S.C. The Lady Bucs finished last season with a 9-19 record overall and 6-12 in SoCon play. They will host the National Women's Basketball League in an exhibition game in Brooks Gym on Nov. 23, and will open the 2003-04 regular season at Temple on Nov. 28. On another note, ETSU's men's and women's basketball teams will host "Fan Appreciation Day" at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19 in Brooks Gym. There will be a Buc two-ball competition and both teams will be holding 15-minute scrimmages. In addition, door prizes will be given away -- including autographed basketballs, t-shirts and tickets to the Buccaneer men's home opener against Mars Hill on Nov. 25. The event will take place following the Buccaneer volleyball match versus Wofford.